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Help. System sounds thin and bright or harsh

Hope this isn't redundant tried to post in Tech Talk

Just moved my system to a new home/sound room and it still sounds harsh and a bit thin despite supposedly "warm" sounding Harbeth 30.1 speakers. This issue is not new and I had put the blame on the old listening room.  Can't figure out what the problem is. I listen loud at 80dcbl or higher and sit nearfield about 8 feet from the speaker plane. (sound is thin and bright from afar as well) I have experimented in both homes with speaker placement, toe-in and the like. Speakers are placed a lil over 3 feet from the rear wall and about two and a half feet from side walls.  I feel something is off. Perhaps a component or two that is known to be tipped up in the highs and a lil bass shy?? Also, I leave all solid state components fully powered up 24/7. (not the tubes)

System:

Modwright/Oppo BDP 105 disc player  (all mods with tubed power supply and pricey NOS tube upgrades throughout)  Looking to replace once the harshness/bright issue is nailed down.

Parasound JC2 Preamp

Pass Labs X250.5 Amp

Harbeth 30.1 stand mount speakers

Puritan Labs PSM 156 power conditioner. (less "edgy" sound with it in system)

System is run all balanced with fairly costly Cardas interconnects.

All input is welcome. Thanks in advance.

Happy listening.

 

 

cymivka
avanti1960
1,500 posts
 

in your old room was your back up against a wall and now you are sitting out in the room?  

sitting up against a wall reinforces bass quite a bit.  

is the new room more lively / less furnished / less treated with drapes and carpet?  

also settings can change when gear is moved around.  could you be using the inverted polarity outputs on your preamp or one of them?  

noromance's avatar
noromance
9,907 posts
 

Apart from a pair of REL T5x, I'd look at the tubes. Any idea what 6SN7s are fitted?  RCA VT231 or Ken-Rad 6SN7 are on the warmer side.

cymivka OP
46 posts
 

Thanks guys much to think about

Room is 13'2" wide in a loft with side walls extending 11 feet back from the front wall where the speakers are close to. Behind the seating position about 8 feet from the speaker plane is wide open in a loft of a two story home. Ceilings is vaulted 10 to 11 feet high as it is angled. Carpet is pretty thick. No room treatments as of yet.

But as Avanti1960 speculated I USED to sit against the rear wall in the old listening room and still didn't have the warm, full sound. Bass shy for sure. Now its wide open behind me except for a four foot high wall behind the couch or seat.

As for output tubes, I have two sets aside from the stock harmonix something or others. One pair is a set of matched Tungsol 6SN7's from upscale audio. The much better set is from RCA circa 1940's 6SN7 GT's.  Much more sparkle and "life" compared to the Tungsols. Tungsols help a tiny bit with edgyness but rob the sound. They can't compare to the NOS RCA's. 

Still playing with speaker placement but since I mentioned that this problem has followed me from listening room to listening room it leads me to think the problem is component related?? Maybe bad synergy. Maybe speakers really aren't up to the task for high volume but still sound thin at low volume  Call me crazy but even with all this the system has never sounded better, so I am re-invigorated to pin this issue down and upgrade if need be.  Its nice cranking the volume without disturbing neighbors.

 

noromance's avatar
noromance
9,907 posts
 

The 30.1 are monitors and not designed for a cranked-up, full bass sound. 

cymivka OP
46 posts
 

yeah that could be the problem and ive had them for several years now 

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